One-Pot Chicken Pesto Pasta

That’s what I chant when I make this recipe. It’s fun. You should try it. My toddler joins me. My husband probably thinks I’m crazy…

I feel like the champion of weeknight dinners is the one-pot dish. The thing I love most about one-pot meals is the easy cleanup. I don’t know about you, but doing dishes is about my least favorite kitchen job. After a long day (or after cooking a huge Thanksgiving feast), it’s awesome to have to wash up just one pot. ONE.

Side note: You could totally substitute turkey for the chicken. This would be an awesome way to use up that leftover Thanksgiving turkey!

To make this chicken pesto pasta, you start with only 10 ingredients (8 if you don’t count salt and pepper, and water). But I chose those ingredients because they pack some major flavor punch or lovely texture. Pesto is pretty intense, and it also acts as the sauce for the pasta. Sun-dried tomatoes are like little flavor packets: they’re sweet and savory and acidic all at the same time. The cherry tomatoes echo that flavor, but add some freshness as well. I decided to use boneless skinless chicken thighs because they’re pretty hard to overcook—some nights I need as little fussing over chicken as possible.

On with the cooking!

First you sauté your chicken in the pot (or throw in some of that leftover Thanksgiving turkey) and season it with salt, pepper, dried basil, and garlic.

Remove the chicken from the pan and pour in 4 cups of water.

After the water boils, add 1 teaspoon of salt and the pasta. Because we’re basically cooking the pasta using an absorption method, it’s important to stir it often so it cooks evenly.

Once the pasta is al dente (it will cook a little more since you don’t remove it from the pan), add the remaining ingredients and give it all a big ol’ stir.

By the way, I used my Homemade Basil Pesto for this recipe. It’s so good, and if you have any leftovers, you can use it for sandwiches, omelettes, on rice, etc.

Just look how green this pasta is!

I like to serve it with some freshly shredded Parmesan cheese, but it actually isn’t necessary since this dish is so flavorful on its own.

You can serve this cold as a pasta salad in a pinch. Perfect for on-the-go lunches!

What night of the week are you most ready for a one-pot cleanup? Tuesdays are super busy for us. How about you?

Place a large pot (I used a Dutch oven) over medium heat. Add avocado oil. Once hot, add chicken, salt and pepper, and basil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and browned on the outside. Add garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Turn the heat up to high and add water and salt to the now-empty pan. Bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring often, until pasta is al dente and most of the water is absorbed, about 12 minutes. It's okay if there's still a little water that hasn't evaporated!

Erica

Hello! My name is Erica and I was born and raised in northern Minnesota. I've enjoyed being in the kitchen as far back as I can remember. I was so happy when my mom let me wash dishes for the first time when I was about 5 (I just wish I was still as enthusiastic). I was so proud to be allowed to knead bread dough when I was 8. And my mom would let me concoct my own recipes for deviled eggs, no supervision. When I was about 16, I became very interested in the nutritional aspect of food. I began experimenting with adapting recipes to make them healthier. After several failures, I was able to make meals and treats that my family loved. I wanted to share my successes with the world, and so I started my very first recipe blog. I have been blogging about my love for food ever since! Some random facts about me: I'm a shortie: a little over 5'2" tall. Foods that gross me out: watermelon, margarine, and mellow yellow. I broke my leg in a horse riding accident when I was 9. My favorite guilty pleasure late-night snack is cold cereal (with loads of cream). And finally, I was homeschooled for all of my education, and I loved it!

Place a large pot (I used a Dutch oven) over medium heat. Add avocado oil. Once hot, add chicken, salt and pepper, and basil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and browned on the outside. Add garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Turn the heat up to high and add water and salt to the now-empty pan. Bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring often, until pasta is al dente and most of the water is absorbed, about 12 minutes. It's okay if there's still a little water that hasn't evaporated!